Harbor Point Condominium

Lived there for almost 20 years! This building has great amenities, lovely door staff, responsive maintenance personnel, and stellar views. There are always moments of difficultly in such a big building but it’s been great on the whole. Nearby Millenium Park and with great lake views that will never be blocked (it’s too close to Lake Shore Drive to get blocked), this is a prime location that is still just far enough out of the way. It’s a long hike from the El on harsh cold Chicago winter day, but worth it. Easy access to the Metra station at Randolph & Michigan.
The pool is excellent and never crowded. There’s a whirlpool tub that could easily seat 10+, with awesome views and full glass enclosure, and there’s a nice sun deck off the pool deck. The fitness room is a bit outdated, but usable, and there are squash courts and a basketball half court. The bball court, free weights, and squash courts are seriously underused. Steam room and dry saunas are inside the locker rooms.
The laundry room is big, takes coins, and has carts. There’s also a reading room off the laundry room with excellent views of LSD, and building tenants often bring books to swap down there. Also has a rest room in that area.
Grocery store is located on the lower level where the car valet is — great stuff in there, including all the basics, alcohol, deli, and grab & go items. Close by, there’s a bulletin board on that level (across from the parking attendants) of things people are buying/​selling, and often children offering to babysit others in the building.
You can car valet for short term parking for a fee, which can be validated by getting pink tickets for your unit — that way, you can validate other people’s parking for discount. You can park your car yourself, and there is short term parking for loading.
There’s storage in the lower levels (P4) assigned to each unit. Package room downstairs, and exit toward the lake on the lowest level.
Each floor has a trash chute and paper recycling. Can and bottle recycling is downstairs (major thumbs down for inconvenience — it does deter people from doing it).
Sister building is Lake Point Towers, near Navy Pier. Want to tell the difference? Harbor Point’s curves are sharper.

Recently I read an editorial describing the hanky panky goings on with condo board members and condo management in a north-​shore high rise. And this reminded me of all the goings on at Harbor Point Condominium.
There was the time a senior woman, around 70 years old, requested a parking spot on the upper level of the parking garage. She was denied the spot and what is more she later received a parking garage bill of $ 3000.00 (or so) for parking fees for her guest parking for a previous Saturday evening party.
When she contacted the management office saying the party was not hers, she was told that she would have to prove it. It took the elderly woman a couple of months, but she finally did prove the charges were another homeowners. This elderly woman was also a Condo Board member.
Then of course what happened to me and my missing Hermes scarf. I took the matter to management and condo board. And then the letters from management began, saying I always leave my door open and there is a foul smell coming from my unit.
How ridiculous.
In response. .. . to the management letter, dated May 3, 2012, requesting my door be shut and latched because of a complaint stating I leave my door open, please note that I never leave my door open. I have also responded to your letter in person by going to the mgmt office. The assistant property manager told me that she sent ‘someone’ to check my door, and the employee reported back to her that the door was open.
What mental deficiency could construct such a ridiculous allegation that I leave my door open. It is unit xxxx that always leaves their door open — their children play in the hallway and the door is left open for hours, they also leave their boots, shoes, coats, toys, umbrella’s in the hallway.
On three occasions this year a doorman and member of maintenance staff responded to a complaint of unit xxxx leaving their door open and children playing in the hallway, by going to the unit, knocking on the unit door and loudly calling out to the unit owner to bring attention to their presence, and then requesting the door be closed and toys removed from the hallway.
So when the assistant property manager said she spoke to ‘someone’ and they confirmed my door was open, did this ‘someone’ simply go to my unit, take-​a-​peek, return to the mgmt office, and then this letter was generated? Why the different procedure?
Keep in mind that I have already lost an expensive scarf because of theft from a neighbor –as Draper & Kramer mgmt and staff insist -, or from Draper & Kramer staff. Why would I expose the rest of my home to more theft by leaving my door open? Furthermore, I block all the air coming from the hallways into my unit because of the cigar stench pervading my hallway for the past several years. This cigar stench is in my home walls, carpet, and clothing.
So, because of the theft and stench I take extra precaution to make sure my door is closed and securely latched.
I further asked for a letter from mgmt detailing the exact date and time of this alleged inspection, as well as a copy of the log staff and mgmt maintain which documents complaints against units and staff responses to those complaints.
I am still waiting, then I got another letter instead saying there is a ‘foul stench’ coming from my unit. Boy, oh boy, oh boy. Exasperating!